As this type of image sensor, there exists a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) type solid-state image sensor, for example. In recent years, in order to enable high-speed imaging, such a CCD type solid-state image sensor (hereinafter abbreviated as “CCD”) has, arranged adjacent photoelectric converters (e.g. photodiodes) that convert incident light into electric charges to generates signal charges corresponding to the intensity of the light, a plurality of charge storage units (e.g. storage CCDs) for storing and memorizing the signal charges generated from the photoelectric converters (see Patent Document 1, for example). This image sensor has the photoelectric converters and charge storage units arranged on a chip. In recent years, a CCD called “in-situ storage image sensor” has been employed. This image sensor will be described with reference to FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, a CCD 1 has a plurality of photodiodes 11 and storage CCDs 12 as noted above, and has vertical transfer CCDs 13 for transferring signal charges in these storage CCDs 12 in a vertical direction shown in FIG. 2. Each photodiode 11 has a read gate 14 disposed at a side thereof for reading signal charges to a storage CCD 12 adjacent thereto. In addition, horizontal transfer CCDs 15 are provided for transferring, in a horizontal direction shown in FIG. 2, signal charges transferred from the vertical transfer CCDs 13.
In this “in-situ storage image sensor”, the storage CCDs 12 in line form extend in an oblique direction. By arranging in the oblique direction as above, CCD cells can be packed without leaving wasteful space on a chip.
Incidentally, an image converter tube is incorporated in the image pickup apparatus upstream of this image sensor to perform electronic shutter action and amplification (see Patent Document 2, for example). The image converter tube is also called a “streak tube”, in which an input image (optical image) formed on a photoelectric surface by an optical lens is converted into an electron image, and the electron image released from the photoelectric surface is formed on an MCP (microchannel plate) by an electron lens. A deflector plate between the electron lens and MCP moves a position of the electron image, and the MCP carries out electronic shuttering and amplification. The electron image is converted into an optical image, which is picked up by a CCD.
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication H11-225288 (pages 1-8, FIGS. 2-7 and 15-20)
[Patent Document 2]
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H3-210812 (pages 1 and 3-5, FIGS. 2, 6 and 7)